The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus adapted to output an image corresponding to input image data in a visible form onto a recording medium. In particular, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, such as a printer, a digital copying apparatus, or the like, that is used as an output apparatus in an information processing system.
Conventional image forming apparatuses allow a user (operator) to set various conditions such as a density, a magnification, and the like at his or her choice, and print out an image reproduced according to set conditions on a recording medium such as paper.
However, in hard copies obtained, it occurs in some cases that an actual printed result is different from the expectation of the operator. In this case, it is necessary to print again by altering various set conditions so that the reproduced image can be printed with an image quality as desired by the operator. In particular, when a plurality of hard copies are made, the recording media and the developer such as toner are wasted.
In view of the problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 60-221770 proposes a copying operation control method for a copying machine in which a copying operation is continuously performed on each of a plurality of documents placed on a document mount such that copied images for each of the documents are formed. According to the proposed copying operation control method, two or more documents placed on the document mount are scanned separately for the image of each document to be copied on a separate sheet of copying paper. Then, in order to prevent a large amount of miscopies from being produced, in making two or more copies for each of two or more originals, initially, a single-copy making operation is performed, i.e., only a single copy of each document is produced and then, the rest of the required copies is produced continuously.
The copying operation control method disclosed in the Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. 60-221770 is effective in that it is possible to check whether the originals, or documents have been placed on the mount favorably by examining the copying result of the single-copy making operation performed initially, and thus, to prevent the image thereof from being erroneously copied in the continuous copying operations performed thereafter.
However, in an image forming apparatus disclosed in the publication, there is still a problem that when the number of pages of originals, or documents, to be copied at the same time is large, the recording medium such as paper, and the developer such as toner are wasted a lot.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problem, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an improvement on image forming apparatuses adapted to output an image corresponding input image data in a visible form, especially on an image forming apparatus, such as a page printer, which is used as an output apparatus in an information processing system, the improvement being able to prevent the recording media and the developer being wasted.
In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus comprising:
a first storage for storing image data;
an image data minifying device for converting the image data stored in the first storage into minified image data;
a second storage for storing the minified image data;
a plotting section for developing the image data stored in the first storage or the minified image data stored in the second storage into a plotting pattern;
a third storage for storing the plotting pattern;
an output section for processing the plotting pattern stored in the third storage into a visible image on a recording medium and outputting the recording medium;
a mode setting device for setting an operational mode of the image forming apparatus, the mode setting device switching the operational mode between a normal mode and a trial output mode, wherein in the normal mode, input image data for a plurality of pages are processed into images on the plurality of pages of the recording medium, while in the trial output mode, the input image data is processed into minified images on fewer pages of the recording medium for trial output such that a user can check an output result to be obtained in the normal mode beforehand; and
a blank page detector for detecting a blank page with no image data from the input image data,
wherein in the trial output mode, an image corresponding to the blank page detected by the blank page detector is not formed on the recording medium.
According to the image forming apparatus of the invention, it is possible to print a plurality of pages of images on one page of the recording medium by minifying them. In addition, because the blank page is omitted from image formation on the recording medium in the trial output mode, it is possible to reduce the amount (or the number of pages) of the recording medium to be used. Thus, consumables such as recording media (paper, for example) and developer are prevented from being wasted. Especially in the case of output in color, because a plurality of developers (for example, black, yellow, magenta, cyan) can be saved, the image forming apparatus of the invention is very useful.
In one embodiment, the image forming apparatus further includes a controller for adding data indicative of page numbers of the input image data to the minified image data at positions corresponding to respective page number areas such that the minified images derived from the minified image data are associated with the respective images derived from the input image data.
In this embodiment, a user can check the position of the blank page without outputting the blank page by checking the page numbers.
In one embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes a controller for, in the trial output mode, outputting image portions corresponding to character data included in the minified image data in the form of dots or frames.
This arrangement is useful if trial output is performed only to check layout. Because image data is output as dots or frames instead of characters or the like, it is possible to save developer. In addition, processing speed for image formation can be increased.
In one embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes:
a graphic data detector for detecting graphic data included in the input image data; and
a controller for, in the trial output mode, replacing the detected graphic data with data of a frame such that an image corresponding to the graphic data is represented by the frame.
Printing graphic data generally takes much time and consumes a large amount of developer. According to the image forming apparatus in this embodiment, however, only a frame is printed at the position of the graphic data. Thus, it is possible to not only check the position of the graphic data but also save time and developer.
In one embodiment, the image forming apparatus further includes:
a graphic data storage for storing only the graphic data detected by the graphic data detector; and
a controller for, in the trial output mode, reading the graphic data from the graphic data storage after formation of minified images based on the minified image data including no graphic data, so as to form a graphic image based on the graphic data, without minifying the graphic data, on a page of the recording medium different from the page or pages bearing the minified images.
It is possible that as a result of size reduction of the image in the trial output mode, the resulting graphic image becomes smaller than expected by an operator, and therefore that the trial output is again performed in a different size reduction ratio to check the graphic image. In this case, the recording medium such as paper, the developer, and time are wasted. In contrast, according to the image forming apparatus of the embodiment, because the graphic image is formed without being reduced in size, independently of the other minified images, the above problem is solved.
In one embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes graphic data optimum layout device for, in the trial output mode, performing an optimum layout of a plurality of the graphic data read from the graphic data storage such that graphic images based on the plurality of the graphic data, not minified, are formed on as few pages as possible, independently of the minified images.
If in the trial output mode, a plurality of graphic images are formed on respective pages of the recording medium in the same size of an original graphic image, a large amount of the recording medium is needed. Forming a plurality of graphic images on one page can reduce the consumption of the recording medium. However, if the graphic images are arranged in the order of occurrence of the graphic data, there may be a lot of dead space on the recording medium, depending on a combination of the graphic data. Thus, the recording medium cannot be utilized effectively. In contrast, according to the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the graphic data to be output on one page of the recording medium are optimally combined. Therefore, as many graphic images as possible are formed on one page such that dead space of the recording medium is minimized. Thus, it is possible to reduce the consumption of the recording medium.
In one embodiment, the image forming apparatus includes a controller for adding mutually corresponding pieces of information (such as image numbers) to the graphic image and the frame in the minified image respectively when the graphic image is formed on the different page of the recording medium based on the graphic data not minified, to indicate correspondence between the graphic image and the frame indicative of the graphic image portion in the minified image.
When the combination of the graphic data is optimized, it may occur that the output order of the graphic data changes. But, thanks to the mutually corresponding pieces of information added to the graphic image and the frame in the minified image, the operator can know where the graphic images are originally located, even though the output order of the graphic data changes.